The Muslim community of Cameroon joins the international community to begin this Tuesday, March 12, a period of daytime deprivation.
The fast of Ramadan constitutes one of the five pillars (arkân) of Islam, along with the profession of faith (chahâda), prayer (salât) five times a day, almsgiving (zakat) and pilgrimage. (hajj) to Mecca. Muslims must respect three major prohibitions during this period. They are prohibited from eating, drinking and having sexual relations during the day, between dawn and sunset.
Origine of Ramadan
In the year 610, the angel Gabriel appeared to the prophet Muhammad and revealed to him the Koran, the Islamic sacred book. This revelation, Laylat Al Qadar or the “Night of Destiny” is said to have taken place during Ramadan. Muslims fast during this month to commemorate the revelation of the Quran.
The month of Ramadan, Ninth month of the lunar year during which believers must abstain from eating, drinking, smoking, wearing perfume and having sexual relations between sunrise and sunset. It is a lunar calendar, which is why the length of the months varies from 28, 29 to 30 days. This is also the reason why the date of Ramadan shifts each year and is subject to change.
the last ten days are the most important, according to the Koran and the sunnah, the Islamic tradition. It is in this period that the night of destiny “Laylatoul Qadri” is located, whose grace is equivalent to a thousand months.
The principles
The evening meal (iftar) can begin once the sunset prayer (Salat Maghrib) is completed. To break his fast, the Prophet Muhammad is said to have consumed dates and a glass of water. Since then, Muslims have eaten them this way to begin and end the fast.
In the city of seven hills, a three-day fair which ends this Sunday, March 9, was organized by the Cameroon Muslum Exhibition with the support of the administrative authorities at the level of the green city in the commune of Yaoundé II to allow a supplying populations with basic necessities before the start of the fast.
Clément Noumsi
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